took that as a good sign. As long as there were no surprises, the girls would be driving back to the ranch with them tonight.
Allowing themselves plenty of time, Hadley, Adam and the sharpshooter, Roger Orr, were in the truck and ready to go at 6:00 p.m.
Two duffel bags of twenty-dollar bills were in the backseat. Four more duffel bags were stuffed with newspaper and in the bed of the truck. Fred had decided on the extra bags at the last minute in case the plan had to be altered slightly.
Adam drove. Roger rode in the front seat with him. Hadley sat in the back with the money.
Adam and Roger talked of sports and fishing and politics, avoiding any mention of where they were going or why until they were just a few miles from their exit.
“Remember that no matter what happens, Hadley, you are not to get out of the truck,” Adam warned.
“I remember.” But she hadn’t promised. It would be next to impossible not to jump from the truck when she saw the girls running to her.
Her contact phone rang just as they made the exit. She answered and repeated the directions as he gave them so that Adam could ask questions if he didn’t understand exactly where they were to meet. This time he hadn’t bothered to disguise his voice.
It wasn’t familiar.
“Remind him this spot he’s sending us to has to be in the open,” Roger said.
He assured her that it was and then broke the connection.
“That’s only about ten minutes from here,” Adam said.
Hadley’s heart began to pound erratically. Ten more minutes until her world swerved back into its orbit. Ten more minutes until she could hold the girls next to her heart.
Please, God, don’t let anything go wrong.
The minutes dragged by until Adam pulled onto a dirt road that seemed to lead into total darkness. He switched his lights to bright.
Another mile and she spotted the car parked in the middle of the road about fifty yards in front of them. It sat at an intersection with another dirt road.
“He has his getaway planned,” Hadley said.
“It won’t help,” Roger assured her. “If they can spot him from the helicopter, they can keep him in their sight until squad cars can pin him down.”
Adam slowed and then came to a full stop in the middle of the dark, deserted road. He kept his headlights on and pointed at the other vehicle.
Adam lowered his window and picked up the bullhorn Fred had provided.
“I’ll start walking toward you with two duffel bags filled with twenty-dollar bills,” Adam said. “You start walking toward me with the girls. Once I see them and know they’re safe, you get the rest of the money.”
“I changed my mind.”
Hadley’s heart plunged to her stomach.
“I want to make sure that there’s actually money in those bags before I deliver the girls. I pick up the bags and take them to my car and check them out. If the money’s there, I’ll meet you in the middle again for the rest of the money and that time I’ll have the girls with me.”
“Do it, Adam,” she begged. “It’s why we brought the extra bags with us. I don’t care about the rules or even what Fred thinks is right. I just want my girls with me.”
Adam went back to his bullhorn. “We accept that, but you’ll get only two bags of money until we’re assured the girls are safe. And no more changes. I’m bringing out the first two bags of money now.” Adam reached into the backseat for the duffel bags containing R.J.’s fifty thousand dollars.
Roger readied his rifle.
Hadley stared in shock when she realized the man walking toward Adam was Matilda’s son. She’d never suspected him of playing a role in the abduction. This was going to break Matilda’s heart.
Quinton must have found a way to get to him.
Sam met Adam in the middle, picked up the bags and walked them back to the car. He tossed them into the front seat and then waited while the driver apparently checked out the contents of the bag.
“You’ve got the first installment,” Adam called. “Let’s see the girls.”
All of a sudden the driver of the other car hit the gas and swerved into a ninety-degree spin practically running Sam down. And then the car sped away down the intersecting road, the wheels kicking up dust and gravel.
Roger pulled his rifle and pointed it at the fleeing car. He shot twice, aiming at the tires, but